My fellow blogger and Kansas Citian (and onetime KC Star columnist) Bill Tammeus has recently opted out of the comment moderation business with this note:
At least temporarily, I've reluctantly decided to stop allowing readers to leave comments on this blog. You're welcome to e-mail any comments you have to wtammeus@kc.rr.com in response to the blog's content each day. But for now you won't have the opportunity to leave comments here for others to read and respond to. Why? Well, the main reason is that the cost/benefit analysis I've done tells me it's not worth it any more. First, it takes too much of my time to moderate the comments. I have many other projects and responsibilities beyond this blog, so moderating the comments is reducing the time I have to work on those. And, frankly, only about 20 percent of the comments in the last year or so ever contain anything fresh or in any way responsive to what I'm writing about that day. (Feel free to think you are the source of those good comments; maybe you are.) Instead, the comments section has largely turned into a platform for uncivil discourse between and among people who don't respect each other and who endlessly repeat theist or atheist arguments that would try the soul of any lively college sophomore. I'm tired of it to the marrow. I reserve the right on occasion to reopen the comments section (you'll know by looking for a note about it at the bottom of that day's posting). And I reserve the right to change my mind about any and all of this. But for now, I'm closing comments. Thanks for your understanding. Oh, and if by making this decision I have freed up for you some time you'd otherwise spend leaving comments here or reading them, you're welcome. Use the time well. Bill.
If you are interested in seeing why Bill has come to this decision take a look at the comments on past posts at
Bill's 'Faith Matters' Weblog.. it was even crazier before Bill started moderating comments.
So I was wondering.. for you all who have a blog.. what has your experience been with comments? Have you found the need to moderate comments or use word verification? I no longer allow anonymous comments but don't moderate or use the word verify feature. I'd be interested in knowing the specifics of any problems that you have had like rough percentages of spam or inappropriate comments.
And if you are interested in my comment policy just click on the Comments tab above.
i don't think I'll ever disable comments... it's the only way I know that people actually drop by and read my posts. as for spam, it can easily be deleted anyways.
ReplyDeleteI have so few reader/comments, Bob, I can't see me ever having to disable comments. ;)
ReplyDeleteHowever if readers used my blog to verbally attack each other on a constant basis, I'd probably disable comments as Bill has or perhaps even close the blog altogether. I'm an old fashioned girl, Bob, and I will not facilitate uncivil behavior.
I, too, have very few readers/commentors so it's never really been an issue.
ReplyDeleteI enabled moderation at one point because there was an anonymous commenter that seemed determined to be mean and put me down. I ignored the person but my blog readers defended me, so I moderated comments to make the person go away. It worked.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes get spam on my rock and roll blog so I have comment moderation on there for any posts older than 14 days.